Last modified: Thursday, May 22, 2008
Virtuoso cellist Eric Kim to join IU Jacobs School of Music faculty
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Adding to a growing list of noteworthy faculty appointments, the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music announced today (May 22) that virtuoso cellist Eric Kim will join its faculty in the fall semester, 2009.
Considered by many as one of the finest orchestral, chamber music and solo cellists of his generation, Kim has an international career that includes principal cello in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, a position he will have held for 20 years in 2009. A part-time member of the Jacobs School faculty since 2006, Kim has become increasingly interested in joining the Jacobs School in Bloomington full-time.
"Eric Kim is a first-class cellist," said Janos Starker, legendary soloist, pedagogue and distinguished professor of cello at the Jacobs School of Music. "As the winner of the 1986 World Cello Congress Competition at Indiana University, we have seen his career evolve in impressive ways. He is a highly experienced instrumentalist and, with my esteemed colleagues Emilio Colon and Sharon Robinson, I'm very pleased with the announcement of his appointment."
"We welcome Eric Kim with much anticipation," said Lawrence Hurst, chair of the String Department at the Jacobs School of Music. "Through the past two years, Eric has shared a propensity for teaching and a maturity of pedagogy that is remarkable. His students absolutely adore him and his artistry as a soloist and chamber musician has been displayed here numerous times. It has been our hope for some time that Eric would join our faculty. We are delighted that this will now happen."
Alex Kerr, renowned violinist, professor of music at the Jacobs School, and past concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is enthused. "I am ecstatic about the appointment of Eric Kim," Kerr remarked. "I have known Eric for over 15 years and have performed with him in both the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and in chamber music concerts across the United States. With his vast experience in all facets of performance life, he will be an invaluable source of inspiration to our students. He is an excellent soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader."
In addition to his substantial association with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Kim has performed throughout the United States, Europe, South America and Middle and Far East as a recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestra. At age 15, he made his solo debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Kim has appeared as a soloist with the symphony orchestras of Cincinnati, Denver, San Diego, and was a featured soloist with the Juilliard Orchestra on a critically acclaimed tour of the Far East. He has collaborated with such conductors as Zubin Mehta, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Paavo Jarvi, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Sergiu Comissiona, Lawrence Foster and Alan Gilbert. As a recitalist, Kim has been heard in the cities of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Active as a chamber musician, Kim has performed with such artists as Emmanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Yefim Bronfman, Susan Graham, Lynn Harrell, Stephen Hough, Jaime Laredo, Cho-Liang Lin, Emmanuel Pahud and Menachem Pressler. At the invitation of violinist Pinchas Zukerman, he performed with Zukerman at the festivals of Athens (Greece), Mostly Mozart (NY), Schleswig-Holstein (Germany) and Verbier (Switzerland). He has also participated in several tours with Zukerman to South America and Israel as a member of the "Pinchas Zukerman and Friends" chamber ensemble.
Highlights include chamber music debuts at Carnegie Hall, Boston's Symphony Hall and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts performing both Brahms Sextets with Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman and Michael Tree, among others. Kim can also be heard regularly at the summer festivals of Aspen, Bravo! Colorado (Vail), LaJolla and Santa Fe. Kim has made several recordings for the RCA, EMI, Telarc and Koch labels.
As a teacher, Kim has students in major orchestras throughout the world, has taught at the Aspen Music Festival and School (since 1989) and is a Valade Program teacher at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, conducted each summer. He also is a regular coach and performer at the Music Masters Course in Kasuza, Japan.
Kim received his bachelor and master of music degrees from the Juilliard School where he studied with Leonard Rose, Lynn Harrell and Channing Robbins. Upon graduation, Kim received the first William Schuman Prize, awarded for outstanding leadership and achievement in music.
